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Glicazide ...advice

J

jtg1964

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
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She/Her
Good morning. Here I am again.Ive now been prescribed glicazide as I can not tolerate Metformin. I'm on Dagafloxin...4 weeks ago prescribed 10mg.
My concern is my bloods are 8.4 in the morning. Lunch 18...tea 20.
I'm also getting cramps every morning. I'm size 8. Drink loads of water. Exercise. Eat healthily. Absolutely beside myself now.
Anyone had similar.Im just really worried now and feel so low.
 
Sorry to hear that @jtg1964 That must be stressful. I remember you mentioned that you were wondering if you were actually Type 1 - did you follow up on that?
 
Hmmm. I’d push for additional tests @jtg1964 There are blood tests they can do which will provide evidence as to your diabetes type.

Another option is insulin (whatever your diabetes type). So there are options out there for you, and hopefully answers too.
 
I was type 2 and couldn’t tolerate effects of increasing meds, so had been put on fast acting insulin…what a difference! With similar issues to you before that, my consultant ran tests for my type…hey presto Type 1 as I have thought for a very long time. So, I would really try to rule this out and push for tests. I live in France though, and it sounds from reading posts that it is easier to see the right people/have the right tests, but it is worth it and either way can put your mind at rest.
 
Catlady 1 said:
I was type 2 and couldn’t tolerate effects of increasing meds, so had been put on fast acting insulin…what a difference! With similar issues to you before that, my consultant ran tests for my type…hey presto Type 1 as I have thought for a very long time. So, I would really try to rule this out and push for tests. I live in France though, and it sounds from reading posts that it is easier to see the right people/have the right tests, but it is worth it and either way can put your mind at rest.
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Thank you for replying. I will definitely push for some further tests to establish if Im type 1 . Not sure what the tests are but I will ask. How often do you have to take insulin if you don't mind me asking?
 
The checks are usually made for two or more diabetes antibodies, plus cPeptide which shows how much insulin your body is able to produce. A stimulated cPeptide where you have been given carbohydrates to eat and then your insulin response is measured might shed a light on why the oral meds aren’t helping so much.

Hope you are able to get some clarity around your diabetes type, and a more effective treatment plan in place @jtg1964 :care:
 
The tests are a C-peptide test which assesses how much insulin you are able to produce.... a blood test is usually more accurate than a urine test but the blood needs to be frozen very quickly after being drawn and most GP practices don't have the facilities to freeze it quickly or transport it to the lab in that frozen state, so generally has to be drawn at a hospital. The other test is antibody blood tests. These generally take a few weeks for the results to come back. Mine took about 6 weeks. In many respects it is better to get these tests authorised and the results interpreted by a consultant because they don't always get definitive results and need assessing in conjunction with clinical factors like speed of onset and being slim with a healthy diet etc.

If your GP is reluctant to accept that you might be Type 1 ask them why they think you are Type 2. Do not accept them telling you that you are too old for Type 1 to develop and quote Teresa May as an example of late onset Type 1 if necessary.... there are plenty more less famous examples here on this forum. Unfortunately you do have to advocate for yourself with the NHS these days and push for what you need. Untreated Type 1 diabetes can become life threateningly dangerous fairly quickly because Diabetic KetoAcidosis (DKA) is a real risk if your body is unable to produce enough insulin and oral (Type 2) meds will not help that. It would be wise to get some Ketostix to dip in your urine when BG levels are persistently above 15mmols/l so that you can assess if ketones are developing and get emergency treatment at A&E if they do develop, before you become too ill.

Unfortunately some GPs are reluctant to refer patients to specialist clinics and there are usually quite long waits for appointments if you do get a referral, so getting some Ketostix to enable you to test for ketones will give enable you to assess if/when you need to seek emergency help if things reach a tipping point and therefore keep yourself safe.

As regards how often you need insulin as a Type 1, the standard insulin regime is called Multiple Daily Injections or MDI and involves injecting a Basal insulin once or perhaps twice a day to cover the glucose slowly trickled out from your liver, which kind of acts as a back up battery for when you don't have food providing glucose, and injections of fast acting bolus insulin before each meal, to cover the glucose released by your food. So typically 4-5 injections a day.... but the needles are absolutely tiny (4mm long and not much thicker than a human hair), so don't be apprehensive about that as they are very easy to use and the pens make it so simple to dial up the dose and inject it.
 
Catlady 1 said:
I was type 2 and couldn’t tolerate effects of increasing meds, so had been put on fast acting insulin…what a difference! With similar issues to you before that, my consultant ran tests for my type…hey presto Type 1 as I have thought for a very long time. So, I would really try to rule this out and push for tests. I live in France though, and it sounds from reading posts that it is easier to see the right people/have the right tests, but it is worth it and either way can put your mind at rest.
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Hi. I started the fast acting one when considered type 2, and inject every time I eat meals or snacks. As I was going abroad just after type 1 diagnosis they left me at that so as not to over complicate etc etc given very hot country and lots of travel.
I am out of the honeymoon period, my sugars are higher all the time again, but will see consultant soon as they have been assessing me to see most appropriate treatment now. I suspect a basal insulin too, which is normal.
Don’t worry about pain etc if you need insulin, I rarely feel anything, the insulin is in a pen and very easy to use. Hope this helps
 
Just a question...do you have any autoimmune diseases, or any in the family?
T1 is autoimmune and if you have one autoimmune disease it msy be you will have another.
Any diabetes in the family?
Lost weight? That's also a t1 sign.
I'd definitley get the t1 tests, they looked at me, said 'bit too thin for t2' and got sent for them right away.
 
No autoimmune diseases.Ive 2 second cousins with diabeties. I will try to push for tests for Type 1. Im a year on and it's not under control.
Thank you for your reply.Appreciate it.
 
Hi
Still not had my ct scan. I've started on insulin and feel so much better. But just had a note from GP to say my iron is low and he is sending a poo test. I recently had the standard one which was negative. Still feeling worried there is something seriously wrong. Anyone else had this?
Jill
 
Good that you have been started on insulin and feel better for it. Which insulin(s) have they given you?
Hopefully you will get an appointment for a scan soon. Have you broached the subject of Type 1 testing with your GP or asked for a referral to the hospital diabetes clinic?
 
rebrascora said:
Good that you have been started on insulin and feel better for it. Which insulin(s) have they given you?
Hopefully you will get an appointment for a scan soon. Have you broached the subject of Type 1 testing with your GP or asked for a referral to the hospital diabetes clinic?
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Hi Barbara
Im under the hospital diabetic team. Im type 1 and a half...late onset. Having tests to see why? I just want the scan done as one always thinks the worst.
Im on Novomix 30. Titrate this week ...my week 2 from 6 to 8 units. Still taking Glicazide twice a day at the minute.
Jill
 
Good to hear you are now under the care of the diabetes clinic but quite surprised that they have started you on a mixed insulin if you are considered to be LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults), which is a late onset form of Type 1.
Mixed insulin requires quite a regimented mealtime schedule and doesn't allow you much flexibility in what or when you eat. Perhaps they gave you it as a short term treatment until your results come back and hopefully they will move you onto a more modern basal/bolus regime once things are clearer. This is separate fast (bolus) and slower releasing (basal) insulins which can be tailored to an individuals needs and lifestyle much more helpfully than a mixed insulin. It also enables you to do correction doses with the faster (bolus) insulin if your levels are too high for one reason or another, illness being one of the main occasions when levels can rise quite rapidly and the mixed insulin doesn't enable you to respond to that, whereas separate fast acting insulin can be used to bring those levels back down into range.
There are some advantage to the mixed insulin in that once you get into a routine with meals, you don't have to give it a lot of thought but you sacrifice the ability to manage your levels so well and you have no real flexibility of diet or schedule.
I can understand you being apprehensive about waiting so long for the scan, but if you don't have any other symptoms than high BG levels which the insulin is sorting out, then the likelihood is that you are a straight forward late onset Type 1 and the scan should come back clear.
 
jtg1964 said:
Hi
Still not had my ct scan. I've started on insulin and feel so much better. But just had a note from GP to say my iron is low and he is sending a poo test. I recently had the standard one which was negative. Still feeling worried there is something seriously wrong. Anyone else had this?
Jill
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Hi Jill
I was on a similar merry go round.
First I was told I was type 2 then type 1.5 then finally had scan , now type 3 c!
Do you have weight loss?
Do you have diarrhoea?
You have new onset diabetes , you have anaemia, ie poor absorption of nutrients.
Could I ask how old you are? The reason I ask is I was denied a fast track referral because I was 58 at the time not 60.
DEMAND an urgent CT scan? if they deny you this ask why in no uncertain terms.
As others have said you have push to get results, I don’t know why but it is true.
Good luck and stay positive.
 
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